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Christchurch charity luncheon at Sid at The French Café

A special fundraising luncheon is being organised on behalf of the Auckland hospitality industry by restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat (Sidart, Cassia and Sid at the French Café) in the wake of the horrific terror attack in Christchurch on Friday 15 March.

The lunch will take place on Sunday 28 April 2019 at Sid at the French Café with 100% of the proceeds donated directly via hospitality charity DineAid to Victim Support, to help victims and families affected by last Friday’s events.

The $250 a head six course tasting menu will feature a special menu curated by Sid and his teams at Sidart, Cassia and Sid at The French Café. The price includes champagne wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages, all team members will donate their time with suppliers also lending their support.

MC’d by broadcaster Kerre McIvor, the lunch will include a live and silent auction with hospitality packages donated by leading Auckland chefs and restaurants including Amano, Baduzzi, Café Hanoi, Michael Meredith, Phil’s Kitchen, Saan, Tantalus Estate, The Grove and many others.

Sid says he and Chand feel this is one small way in which they can help, “We were just so horrified at Friday’s events and to do nothing just doesn’t feel right to us, or to our teams and peers in the industry.

“We all want to help, and this is one small way we can show we are united in disbelief and to demonstrate solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christchurch”.

The three-hour lunch will commence from midday, with drinks and canapés in the courtyard and diners will be seated from 12.30pm. Tickets can be purchased by emailing the restaurant on info@sidatthefrenchcafe.co.nz. Some dietary requirements will be catered to, please check with the restaurant before booking. Smaller bookings of two to four may be seated at a table with another group booking to ensure maximum capacity in the dining areas.

Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards medal winners announced

Foodies have a slew of top quality products – including many new releases – to look out for when they are shopping, following the announcement of the 2019 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards medal winners.

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

DAIRY, GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Bellefield Butter, Miso Cultured Butter

Charlies Gelato, Strawberry Gelato

Lewis Road, Gold Top Organic Non-Homogenised Jersey Milk

Meyer Cheese, Smoked Gouda

The Drunken Nanny, Lemony Lush

The Drunken Nanny, Black Tie

The Drunken Nanny, Dill Lush

Whitestone Cheese Company, Ferry Road Halloumi

Whitestone Cheese Company, Vintage Five Forks

Whitestone Cheese Company, Vintage Windsor Blue

Wooden Boutique Freezery, Blackcurrant Crunch Ice Cream

EARTH, GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Augustine’s of Central, Preserved Sundrop Apricots in a Riesling Syrup

Twenty food professionals assessed more than 180 food and drinks during judging at AUT School of Hospitality & Tourism on Saturday 9 March. Following the judges’ assessment of taste, producers’ sustainability, brand story and packaging were also considered and 129 medal winners have been chosen. Shoppers are able to identify products as they will carry the gold, silver and bronze medal stickers from the 2019 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards – a guarantee of product quality.

For the third year, well-known New Zealand food writer and champion for locally-grown and made food products, Lauraine Jacobs was head judge. She said it was great to see the innovative approach many food producers had taken using premium ingredients predominantly grown and harvested in New Zealand.

“Dairy and cheese were strong this year, a tribute to hardworking farmers around the country who produce quality cow, sheep, goat and buffalo milk. Drinks were also strong with the category hotly contested with a range of innovative products, many of which were fermented. Products specially created for the increasing number of special dietary requirements were catered for in the new ‘Free From’ category and it was great to see such a diverse range of entries, the majority of which were of excellent quality,” Lauraine said.

Flavour, aroma, texture, appearance and innovation account for 80% of the judging mark, with the rest of marks coming from brand story, packaging and sustainable business practice. Specialist sustainability judge Emily King of Spira Consulting noted that this year the sustainability detail provided with entries was higher than previous years.

“Businesses are better at explaining their story and understanding what sustainability means, which reflects the trends we are seeing with food and beverage. Well done to our top entries for going above and beyond standard business practice.”

Organiser of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards, Kathie Bartley said it was wonderful to see the breadth and depth of entries which came from throughout New Zealand. Particularly pleasing was the increase in the number of entries from the South Island. She also noted the new ‘Free From’ category was popular with producers, with many producers developing new products specifically to cater for a number of specialist diets including gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free and vegan.

After three years of awards Kathie Bartley said there are plenty of Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards medal stickers on food and drink products around the country. “I urge food lovers to look for products with our Champion, Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal stickers. These stickers are an independent endorsement of quality – a promise to food lovers that the food and drink products will be delicious!”

All Gold Medal winners are in contention for the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards Supreme Champion, Category Champion and Special Awards, which will be announced on Tuesday 16 April. The Champion awards include 2019 Emerson’s Dairy Champion, Farro Earth Champion, Ara Wines Paddock Champion and Water Champion, one of which will be also named 2019 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Supreme Champion. The following winners will also be named: NZ Life & Leisure Spirit of New Zealand Award, Outstanding Sustainability, FMCG Business Outstanding New Product, Label & Litho Outstanding Packaging, Fresh.co.nz Outstanding Drink, Outstanding Free-From Product and Outstanding Startup Producer. The Coast People’s Choice Awards to Outstanding NZ Food Producer and Outstanding NZ Farmers’ Market will also be revealed then.

Our condolences

Dear Readers,

We, the Intermedia team, express our heartfelt condolences, thoughts and love for all those who have been affected by the tragic events in Christchurch on Friday March 15, 2019 at two of the city’s mosques. We grieve for the senseless loss of life and injury to so many New Zealanders and the ongoing ramifications.

Hospitality Business is in the business of promoting, celebrating and communicating the achievements of the hospitality industry which has helped to place New Zealand on the map for being a peaceful destination with a lifestyle largely unequalled elsewhere.

While our innocence in the face of terrorism has now been taken it reminds us all to live each and everyday with vigour and love; to look after our friends, relatives and colleagues, as we return to workplaces that can often be stressful and demanding.*

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern responded to the terror attack saying: “What has happened in Christchurch is an extraordinary act of unprecedented violence. It has no place in New Zealand. Many of those affected will be members of our migrant communities – New Zealand is their home – they are us.”

How you can help

Donate to the victims and families

The New Zealand Islamic Information Centre has set up a crowdfunding campaign on Launchgood (a crowdfunding platform for Muslim people) with all funds raised distributed to the victims and families affected by the Christchurch attack. All proceeds will go towards helping with their immediate, short-term needs.

The New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups has also set up a crowdfunding campaign on Givealittle. Victim Support says it will use all donations received to the page to provide support and resources for people affected by the Christchurch shootings and their family members. This one has already raised $5 million from everyday New Zealanders, which I think is a bright spot in an otherwise very dark time.

Attend a memorial vigil

In Māori culture, one of the most important aspects of losing a loved one is the tangihanga or tangi. The word means to weep, and to sing a dirge (a lament for the dead).

People travel from all around the country and world to come together at these funerals to share in the grief of loss and memories of those who pass.
They are an important part of our culture. I [ActionStation] see public vigils as serving the same purpose. Here are a few happening around the country over the next week:

Like with any religious, ethnic or age group, there are multiple perspectives and experiences within the Muslim community. Muslims are an ethnically diverse demographic hailing from 80 different countries around the world. They have been in Aotearoa since 1860.

Widening the articles we read, and the podcasts we listen to, to include a range of Muslim writers or producers is one way we can begin to understand these different perspectives. Here are a couple of pieces that have been written in the wake of the Christchurch attack.

Here is a podcast that came out in 2017, but is essential listening for anyone wanting to understand what life is like for a Muslim person living in New Zealand today.

Public Enemy is an award-winning four-part podcast series from RNZ looking at the growing Muslim communities in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and how elections, counter-terrorism policies, war and xenophobia have changed lives.

Condemn racism

This violent attack on Muslim people who were praying peacefully was based on the gunman’s idea that white people are superior to people of colour. This idea was fuelled by the renewed rise of neo-Nazis, xenophobia and far-right extremism all over the world.

For the last few years, powerful people with platforms (some politicians, some media commentators, almost all giant tech corporations) have stoked racial division to sell ads, generate headlines and create fear among us for cheap votes and clicks.

This racism and hate was also allowed to fester, because we have not been doing enough to condemn casual racism when we see it.

English Language Partners New Zealand has a volunteer teaching programme providing free English lessons to former refugees and migrants. They will train you to provide those who need it with the language skills and confidence necessary to integrate and participate fully in Aotearoa.

Contact your local Red Cross and see what they need. Volunteer tasks may include setting up a home for a refugee family, helping them with everyday admin such as enrolments, budgeting and shopping, and generally welcoming them into New Zealand.

There are many other ways you can take action. Find your local Muslim community support group or mosque and reach out to ask how you can help.

Some people have been pledging to form human chains of protection around mosques so Muslims can worship and pray. Others have offered to accompany Muslims to wherever they need to go if they do not feel safe going out in public. We will be in touch again soon with other ways you can help as we find them.

Kia Kaha

Be Strong

*The Ministry of Health has produced resources to help people experiencing mental distress and it is working to translate the advice into a range of languages. People can also call or text 1737 anytime to talk with a trained counsellor.

Vocational reforms could be devastating say industry leaders

The Minister of Education launched the public consultation on the Government’s proposals for the Reform of Vocational Education in February but providers have only until March 27 to submit their views.

The Government says these proposals aim to create an accessible, affordable, flexible and high quality vocational education system that will provide learners with the training they need in a rapidly changing world.

The consultation is being run jointly by the Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), and is being led by TEC Chief Executive Tim Fowler.

“I encourage everyone with an interest in education in this country to take part in this consultation. We will be holding regional events throughout the country and look forward to talking about the proposals and listening to your feedback,” said Tim Fowler.

Following consultation, Cabinet will decide on the proposed changes mid-2019, with a view to legislation being introduced later this year.

Business owners and industry leaders, however, are not convinced that the education reform will reduce skills shortages, and many call it short sighted, indicating it could be devastating to New Zealand industry.

It’s a message that Industry Training Organisation (ITO) Competenz has heard loud and clear from employers in the 36 industries it works with providing apprenticeships and training.

The reform involves merging all 16 polytechs into the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, an organisation that will be responsible for delivering all on-job and off-job training. Industry-owned ITOs like Competenz would no longer exist, they would no longer arrange training or support and assess apprentices and trainees in the workplace.

The proposal was announced in February and ITOs, polytechs, businesses and other stakeholders have until just 27 March to submit their feedback.

Competenz works with 3,500 New Zealand businesses and has received direct feedback from more than 1,000 people so far through an online survey, industry workshops and individual meetings. CEO Fiona Kingsford says there are common concerns across all sectors.

“The majority of employers we’ve spoken to feel that the current model for apprenticeships and industry training is working well, so why do we need to fix something that isn’t broken?

“Not one of the industries we represent were consulted before this plan came out, and these industries are worried that disrupting the system is a backwards step that could result in further gaps, at a time when skilled staff are needed most. Industry is at the forefront of digitisation, mechanisation and robotisation, and ITOs can react quickly to changes and advances in technology. This reform risks slowing down the speed of response to their needs,” says Mrs Kingsford.

Many of the industries Competenz works with are niche and highly specialised including fire protection, print and butchery. “These industries don’t currently use a polytechnic at all. Where do these essential trades fit the government’s new model?” questions Mrs Kingsford.

Scott Lawson, CEO of the Fire Protection Association of NZ, says the industry was blindsided by the announcement.

“Like many sub-trades, we struggle to attract sufficient levels of technically competent staff. A strong relationship with the ITO best serves our industry and has proven to be the most effective method of delivery.

“The skills shortage is real and major changes without proper due diligence, planning, consultation, industry input, ITO consultation and finally peer review is nothing short of reckless for an industry already in trouble. Clearly the Ministry has no intention of listening to our needs and wants. The six-week consultation period is completely insulting and purely to tick a box saying industry was consulted, but we don’t have time to explore what options would support industry rather than risk it further.”

Pippa Hawkins, General Manager of Retail Meat NZ, says Competenz has supported, developed and grown apprentice numbers over the years to make butchery one of the better performing industries. She is concerned that on-the-job learning may disappear completely.

“We’re a small industry and on-the-job learning is extremely important. We would be devastated to see it return to a classroom-only format and feel there is not enough detail from the government about how this new concept will work. Industry training has already been reviewed multiple times in previous years and the current method is working well.”

Ken Sowman, CEO of Plastics NZ, says businesses are concerned that a radical reform could result in a training hiatus.

“Such a rapid transition to the new structure will result in training effectively ceasing for several years while those new structures are bedded in. The reform will not only result in less industry input into training and therefore less relevance, they will also destroy the industry’s partnership with our ITO, which is only just recovering from reforms five years ago.”

Throughout the consultation students, both domestic and international, can continue to enrol and study in quality-assured programmes across New Zealand. Courses will continue, qualifications will be awarded and recognised, there is no impact from this on fees free study, fees are not going up due to the proposals, and international students’ visa status will not change.

The TEC and the Ministry says it will work with industry, Industry Training Organisations and the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) sector to design the details of the new system and manage the transition to minimise the impact on learners and staff.

Please see the Reform of Vocational Education page on Kōrero Mātauranga for further information about the consultation including: Vocationaleducation.Reform@education.govt.nz or 0800 462 543 if you have questions or need assistance.

Australian Gaming Expo dates announced

In response to the positive attendee feedback in 2018, the Seminar Programme will again be a key attraction for the Australasian Gaming Expo in 2019. In keeping with this year’s theme “Where gaming technology meets hospitality”, there will be an strong focus on hospitality issues, along with the traditionally deep coverage of gaming.

Proposed seminar topics for this year include: Property Design and Layout; Dining Trends; The Entertainment Dollar; Casino Developments across Australasia; The Future of Wagering; Gaming Regulation and its Direction; and more.

The Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) is excited to continue its partnership with Asia Gaming Brief (AGB), to produce the much anticipated seminar program for AGE 2019. AGB is continuing to produce the seminars after the success of the 2018 seminar series. AGB have specialist experience in producing conferences and seminar programs, such as their ASEAN Gaming Summit held annually in Manila.

If you are an expert in your niche of the gaming and hospitality industry and would like to develop a session or workshop for the seminar program, contact Felix from ABG on felix@agbrief.com.

A limited number of partnership opportunities are available for the seminar series. To find out how a partnership can benefit your company, please direct your inquiries to Janice at Janice@agbrief.com.

And if you are planning to visit the Australasian Gaming Expo, registration is now open. Complete your registration and indicate your interest in attending seminars to be notified when sessions are available to add to your schedule. Visitor registration is available at www.austgamingexpo.com or you can call the Gaming Expo line on 02 9211 7430.

The Australasian Gaming Expo is being held from 13 to 15 August, 2019.

Note: The Australasian Gaming Expo is a trade exhibition, for management representatives of Gaming Industry Organisations only, including government, regulatory, research and support bodies, clubs, hotels, casinos, resorts and similar hospitality industry venues. Trade suppliers are not eligible to attend the event unless exhibiting.

Festival of the Sea underway

March heralds the Festival of the Sea at leading Auckland restaurants Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill, Botswana Butchery and White + Wong’s – a promise of fresh, New Zealand seafood, generous feasts and great hospitality!

The Festival of the Sea offers seafood options for couples or groups, for lunch or dinner, work days or weekends or even something fishy for quick post work aperitivo – freshly shucked Bluff oysters are available by the six or the dozen at all three restaurants.

Freshly harvested Bluff oysters, Big Glory Bay salmon, crayfish, Diamond Shell clams, green lip mussels and NZ blue paua, all fresh from the sea feature on this one-month-only special menu. The partnership with Stewart Island’s Big Glory Bay guarantees New Zealand’s finest catch and the specially curated menus ensure it’s a flavour-filled experience. What’s more, there are loads of dining options, and the ability to choose menus expertly matched with champagne and a selection of New Zealand’s favourite wines.

Can’t decide which iconic harbour side restaurant to dine at? We have the answer – The Progressive Weekend Lunch, three restaurants and three delicious seafood courses. Every Saturday and Sunday during March. Treat yourself and take time out to enjoy a long, relaxed weekend lunch from 11.30am – 3pm assured your menu will feature of the finest catch in the country as you lap up the Auckland Harbour views from Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill, Botswana Butchery and White + Wong’s.

If you’re a sushi fan they have you covered too, with a Rainbow Sushi Roll and Rose deal featuring snapper, salmon, trevally, prawn, avocado sushi with Wasabi Mayonnaise accompanied by the perfect match – a 2017 Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Rosé.

The ultimate event of seafood dining on Friday 29 March, Festival of the Sea Banquet Long Lunch on the deck at Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill. This exceptional lunch will feature an array of hot and cold seafood dishes, expertly prepared by the award-winning Harbourside Chefs and perfectly paired with a glass of NV Nautilus Estate Cuvee on arrival and a glass of Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Gris with your banquet lunch.

Entry opens for Nestlé Toque d’Or

Entry into the country’s top hospitality competition for emerging culinary superstars has now opened, with the organisers expecting the competition to be fiercer than ever given that workplace trainees and apprentices are now eligible to enter.

Nestlé Toque d’Or turns 29 this year and has had a makeover to meet head on the changing face of New Zealand’s hospitality industry.

NZChefs President Hughie Blues says including industry trainees and apprentices in the competition alongside students from the country’s leading training institutes was a logical progression for the competition. The move is intended to better reflect the hospitality sector as it continues to evolve.

The event pits teams of three – two culinary and one restaurant service competitors – against each other in a live kitchen cook off. They must prepare and serve six covers of a three-course meal within a set timeframe, while a panel of top industry judges score their efforts against a strict World Chefs’ marking criteria.

Last year, a team from the Ara Institute of Canterbury took out the coveted top title of Supreme Winner. Nestlé Toque d’Or is an unparalleled experience that opens doors to career paths, while also offering competitors the opportunity to connect with and learn from some of the country’s leading chefs and hospitality professionals.

Gold, silver or bronze medals are presented to competitors, plus there’s a chance to win the top title of ‘Supreme Winner’ and a prize pack which includes a culinary trip to Australia.

To be able to enter, competitors must sign up as a team of three comprising two cookery and one restaurant service competitors. Entrants must be New Zealand residents working in the hospitality industry, aged between 16 and 25 years on 12 August 2019 (one cookery student can be aged 27 years or younger).

Organised by NZChefs in conjunction with Nestlé Professional, the event is supported by other top organisations involved in the hospitality industry including: Akaroa Salmon, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Fresh Connection, House of Knives, Moffat and the New Zealand Specialty Cheese Association.

Lia – international robot with Northcote connection

Please meet a very real and emotionally intelligent hologram concierge. Attractive and emotive and very real, Lia is an emotionally intelligent ‘artificial human’ able to respond to people in real time, with expressions and slight skin imperfections that make it difficult to tell that Lia is in fact, a hologram and 100% code.

Lia was developed on an embodied cognition platform for Artificial Intelligence. Lia has a virtual brain, a virtual nervous system and digital versions of dopamine and oxytocin that affect her neurons and autonomously trigger facial muscles. She can make eye contact with you and read your face, detecting your emotional state and respond accordingly. So, If you smile at Lia she will smile straight back at you.

The idea is that you will engage with Lia, or a digital person like her, to check in at a hotel and interact with her just as you would with a human. This is not fiction it is an ongoing project at New Zealand start up, Northcote, Auckland based, Soul Machines, and big businesses are sitting up and taking notice.

The rollout of 5G wireless networks will accelerate adoption of artificial humans as consumers are able to process data faster. So, how long before we are checking in at a hotel with Lia or one of her friends? Not too long at all we would guess.

Music to cook by

A UK TELEVISION programme will mark 50 years since the last time The Beatles played live as a group, and will see 24 chefs from across the UK compete to cook at the final banquet – this year at Abbey Road Studios.

Each heat will be shown on two mid-week hour-long programmes followed by a 30-minute final, where two chefs will compete to reach the finals of the competition.

Judge Matthew Fort said: “If music be the food of love, eat up. Series 14 of the Great British Menu celebrates the brilliance of British restaurant cooking and flair of British music. Both just keep getting better and better.”

Authenticity key to Mob Museum success

Las Vegas, USA based The Mob Museum has been recognised with two major awards: its second Mayor’s Urban Design Award in the Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse category, this time for The Underground Prohibition history exhibition in the Museum’s basement; and a Double Gold medal for The Underground Moonshine from “The Fifty Best.”

In 2006, then-Mayor, Oscar B. Goodman created the city’s Mayor’s Urban Design Awards (MUDAs) to promote and encourage premium urban design principles. The Historic Preservation Adaptive Reuse category includes buildings that are over 50 years old, have been preserved and rehabilitated for adaptive reuse, or have incorporated green energy technology. Priority to the category is given to the entries and projects that have retained as much of the significant historic fabric as possible.

“We’re honoured and thrilled to be a recipient of another MUDA award,” said Jonathan Ullman, president and CEO of The Mob Museum. “We are proud to occupy our historic building, which is on the National Register of Historic places. It’s also tremendously gratifying to be recognized by the City for our most recent preservation efforts.”

“The Fifty Best” recently hosted a moonshine tasting where entries were evaluated using professional criteria, and a panel of judges blind-tasted the American unaged white whiskeys. After tallying scores of the contestants, medals were awarded to highest scoring contenders based on the judges’ critique. The Underground Moonshine’s Double Gold award was the highest recognition granted in this year’s tasting. “The Fifty Best” is a digital guide to wines and spirits, featuring rated listings from proprietary blind tastings judged by wine and spirits journalists, spirits professionals, wine and spirit retailers, mixologists, spirits consultants and connoisseurs. “The Fifty Best” achieves the highest standards of spirits evaluations by adhering to strict tasting rules and rigorous methodology.

The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a non-profit organisation, provides a world-class, interactive journey through true stories—from the birth of the Mob to today’s headlines.

The Mob Museum offers a provocative, contemporary look at these topics through hundreds of artifacts and immersive storylines.

It debuted a major renovation in 2018, including a Crime Lab, Use of Force Training Experience, and Organized Crime Today exhibit as well as The Underground, a basement-level Prohibition history exhibition featuring a speakeasy and distillery, and sponsored by Zappos.